How much does it cost to open a gym? (serious)

Im 18 years old, soon to be 19 and am mad that i am just getting serious but this now.

How much do you guys think it would cost to open a gym in NYC? I live in the Philly suburbs at the moment and am currently in college getting a business degree - I HAVENT LEARNED **** FROM SCHOOL. Everything business wise that i have learned has been from owners of other gyms that ive been in over the years and i can find out even more as i will.

The degree i am getting isnt to open a business anyways...its because i am also considering being a cop but i need 60 college credits (could be any subject).

But here is my dilemma...i can stay in schooll for another 1 1/2 years and become a cop making top pay in the area of 60-85k, chances are more so around 75k AFTER overtime. But its something i will be doing because im afraid of a risk and its the "safe" choice. (My father is a cop and he says DONT BE ONE, but i am almost guarenteed a job)

-OR-

I can follow my dreams and take a risk. Open my own gym in the city i love (NYC - not manhattan, Queens or Brooklyn). BUT, here is the idea...since my dad is a cop, his friend can get me a job sometime within the next 6 months. So around the age of 19 i can begin working making some decent money and saving while living at home. Now if i save till im 22 (the same age as everyone else is getting out of college) i could have a nice little bank account to purchase gym equipment and the things i need, leaving the potential to get a loan for the actual building. Ill have to start building credit over the next few years aswell. HUGE RISK - but if theres any job i would rather do its be my own boss and own a gym and i was thinking - why am i not even going to TRY to get what i truly want in life?

SO what are you guys thoughts on this???

And more importantly, how much (guesstimate) do you think it would take to open a gym in NYC?

a **** ton... not to mention that since your so young the chances of getting a decent business loan is small. im going to the acedemy in a yr so i know how you feel sort of. i saw cop for 20 yrs..get pension and start a gym.

If you are living at home and making a ton of money, you will need extreme self control or you will end up spending it all

I did that **** until I was 22, moved out, and didn't realize how good I had it until it was gone

I mean, people tell you that, how good it is to live at home, but you ignore it thinking you are smart enough to realise this, but people telling you something and experiencing reality are two different things. Then you realize why people say that so much

But even if you had extreme self control, you would probably need more than 3 years, more than 75k a year minus taxes and living expenses, and some good investment gains before you could turn it into enough money to open a gym up on your own. What you would need would be some business partners to go into it together with. So unless you save for a LONG time with good investment sense, or fall into a load of cash magically, you'll need more than just yourself to start up a business with such high front-end and overhead as a decent sized gym would take.

Probably need to lease some space. Estimate how many sq. ft. you'd need, and call a real estate broker to get some ideas for prices in the area you want.

You're going to need some equipment. What type of equipment would you need? Make a list, and lookup prices.

You'll have to hire people. How many people, how many hours/wk, what will their wages be?

You'll have to do some marketing. How are you going to go about doing that?

etc., etc.

If you're serious about starting a business, have some friggin' initiative.

no ****.....im in the very early stages and im trying to get a range of how much it would cost before i get deeper into anything. Like i said, if i want to go troough with it, THEN i will make a business plan and really start getting into it. Ill also be working full-time as a cop BEFORE i open up for about 3 years, plus alittle bit of money from my parents, and im sure the government/small busines asoc. would give me some money too. I know it will be hard work, but i think it IS realistic, and that i have more potential than being a cop my whole life!

my plan would be to buy cheap/discount/used equipment and fix them up/paint them. This would save me some money. I think i could probably save up money and buy the equipment. The problem is the actual building.

like i said...NOT MANHATTAN. Im looking at Brooklyn and Queens - much cheaper areas.

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS
Potential franchisees must possess the capital sufficient to fund the development of a Gold's Gym facility. The minimum financial requirements for an individual or group are a net worth of $800,000 with $300,000 in cash or liquid assets.

do you actually "own" the gym if u buy a franchise or is it like your just the manager.

I mean can you set the hours for the gym, yourself, your employees, and if u want some new equipment you can buy it and bring it in, and if u want to get rid of something can you? What im saying is do you complety "own" the place or no?